Charleston, W.Va. – On the first day of the filing period dozens of hopeful candidates filed their paperwork at the Secretary of State’s Office. County candidates could also begin filing at their county clerk’s office.

Secretary of State Natalie E. Tennant turned her conference room into an area dedicated to helping candidates fill out the necessary forms. The filing period runs until midnight on January 30. Tennant said her office will be open until the deadline to assist any last second filers.

Candidates file on the first day of the filing period. They are,
from left, Senator Joe Minard (D-Harrison), Delegate
Virginia Mahan (D-Summers), and Delegate Larry
Border (R-Wood).

The first candidate to file at the Secretary of State’s Office was Delegate Larry Williams (D-Preston). Every seat in the House of Delegates is up for election, as are half of the seats in the State Senate, a State Supreme Court seat, and all three West Virginia seats in the US House of Representatives.

New this election cycle is the requirement that all candidates for House of Delegates and State Senate file with the Secretary of State’s office, even if their district is contained in one county.

“This is a very exciting time for candidates,” Tennant said. “This is when everyone is full of hope, and all the candidates have ideas about how to help the people of West Virginia. It’s hard to believe the primary is now just four months away, and we here in the Secretary of State’s office just want to make sure all the candidates get all the correct paperwork in on time. Candidates have enough to worry about as it is.”

An up to the minute list of candidates is available on the Secretary of State’s website at www.wvsos.com.

On the website, candidates and voters will also find information on deadlines and other responsibilities they have. Candidates can also call the Secretary of State’s Office Elections Division with questions at (304) 558-6000.

Click here to see a photo gallery of some of the candidates that registered on the first day.